No repatriation of Brus: Mizo NGOs

Mizoram NGOs' coordination committee today said that the Brus will not be repatriatied until and unless they shun violence and militant activities against the Mizos.

The coordination committee in a meeting demanded the government to arrest the culprits involved in killing of Zarzokima(18) at Bungthuam village on November 13 by Bru Revolutionary Army, and give them appropriate punishment.

The NGOs coordination committee included Young Mizo Association, Mizo Zirlai Pawl (students), Mizo Hmeichhe Insuihkhawm Pawl (women) and Mizoram Upa Pawl (senior citizens).

The joint meeting implored the government to provide necessary security blanket to the Mizos in the western parts of the state and Mizo residents outside Mizoram whose security has been threatened following the gunning down of the Mizo youth.

The joint meeting also demanded immediate and unconditional release for Mizo youths who have been arrested on suspicion ground in connection with the arsons that followed the Bungthuam killing.

While appealing the Mizo people to maintain peace and calm in times of such crisis and make sure that the image of Mizos is not tarnished, the NGOs were doubtful that Mizo youths were behind the arsons. ''Given the fact that the Brus are nomadic tribes who usually burnt down their abandoned huts, the joint meeting strongly suspects that the Brus, who have opposed to the repatriation, torched their own huts to defame the Mizos before the nation,'' the joint meeting alleged.

The joint meeting also demanded the government to look into the miserable condition of Mizo villagers who had been driven away from their homes in Sakhan hills (in Tripura) by Brus in the early 1998.

''The displaced Mizos have neither been resettled nor given relief measures,'' it said.

-- (UNI) -- 17CA25.xml

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